Eastman Jazz Guitar Recommendations

[ccroft]

I have an Eastman John Pisano ar880ce. Its personal I know, but for me it's got the best neck specs and feel of any guitar I have ever owned.
If I was to have a custom commission, I would want to take the Eastman to the builder and say "here - make it feel like this".

Fellow 880 owner here. Total agreement.

[73Fender]

Their flat top acoustic models are excellent as well. Great bang for the buck. And their customer service has a good reputation.

[jads57]

Eastmans keep getting better every year! My favorite one I owned was the 810CE which I replaced the pickup with a real USA Kent Armstrong PAF floating pickup.
This design was made on the blue prints of Bob Benedetto archtop book design.

It definitely has a brighter tone than say a Johnny Smith or L-5 construction.
More highs and lows and less pronounced mids. Neither better or worse ,just different. These in my opinion are the best deal out their for a new modern archtop.

[Tal_175]

Brilliant Toronto jazz guitarist Reg Schwager also uses an Eastman guitar. I think his main guitar used to be an ES 175 but he had to retire it as it developed unrepairable problems (according to a google jazz guitar group post) more than 10 years ago. Then he switched to a carved Eastman.

[Maxxx]

Sometimes Eastman take a step backwards and shoot themselves in the foot.

Here's the older Eastman 503CE with the Kent Armstrong pickup in. Sounds much warmer, less glassy and a sweeter sustain.

Here it is with the newer Seymour Duncan Seth Lover.. where it sounds thin, flatter and cold like an ordinary acoustic guitar. Quite an irritating sound actually.

Definitely a huge mistake for Eastman to replace that pickup.

[sgosnell]

To be fair, different players, different amps with different settings. It's hard to compare sounds done at different times and places by different players.

[John A.]

Sometimes Eastman take a step backwards and shoot themselves in the foot.

Here's the older Eastman 503CE with the Kent Armstrong pickup in. Sounds much warmer, less glassy and a sweeter sustain.

Here it is with the newer Seymour Duncan Seth Lover.. where it sounds thin, flatter and cold like an ordinary acoustic guitar. Quite an irritating sound actually.

Definitely a huge mistake for Eastman to replace that pickup.

I actually played one of each side by side. The difference is nowhere near as dramatic as that. The Duncan pickup is slightly brighter, but they’re still recognizably the same guitar. The difference between those two videos is from other stuff — amps, mics, and eq., and tone choices by the players.

[Room135]

Today I play on T64v Eastman

[chris32895]

I actually played one of each side by side. The difference is nowhere near as dramatic as that. The Duncan pickup is slightly brighter, but they’re still recognizably the same guitar. The difference between those two videos is from other stuff — amps, mics, and eq., and tone choices by the players.

I am actually considering picking one of these AR503CE's up and that's something I noticed, too. It's a bit surprising considering I always thought the Seth Lover to be a decently warm pickup. I wonder if there's a way to get the right spec KA pickup from somewhere else and simply install it...

On another note, I do like the gold trimmings on the old model vs silver on the new.

[AllanAllen]

I have a new AR503CE and that second video is a bad representation. One guy is playing misty and the other doing generic demo noodling. Who do you think knows how to get the right sound out of this guitar.

[John A.]

I am actually considering picking one of these AR503CE's up and that's something I noticed, too. It's a bit surprising considering I always thought the Seth Lover to be a decently warm pickup. I wonder if there's a way to get the right spec KA pickup from somewhere else and simply install it...

On another note, I do like the gold trimmings on the old model vs silver on the new.

The KA pickup in the older ar503 is this one: Kent Armstrong Icon Series Vintage 57 Humbucker Pickup

For a long time they came stock in many D'Angelicos and other Korean guitars as well as most Eastmans (and still do in some), so they're also pretty easy to find used.

[chris32895]

The KA pickup in the older ar503 is this one: Kent Armstrong Icon Series Vintage 57 Humbucker Pickup

For a long time they came stock in many D'Angelicos and other Korean guitars as well as most Eastmans (and still do in some), so they're also pretty easy to find used.

My man!

[coyote-1]

I was a bit leery of posting in an old thread, but I see the last post was just a month ago so I feel better.

Eastman bought Benedetto's book and followed it precisely, and still do, AFAIK, at least for the carved-top models. Thus they will never sound like Gibsons - different build style entirely. They do tend to be brighter than Gibsons, due to the lighter build and thinner tops and backs. They don't try to be Gibson, but they do a pretty good job of being Benedetto, at a far lower price. SNIP I think it's hard to beat Eastman for a working, playing archtop guitar at an affordable price, especially for one with a carved spruce top and an actual acoustic voice.

Anyway, having just received a new AR610ce I am stunned by this instrument. Yes, it has a great acoustic voice. Many in fact. I have flatwounds on mine. Strum it hard and it comes close to a dreadnought-type sound; fingerpick it on bossa, and the two guys I jammed with yesterday said it sounds almost like a nylon-string guitar**. As others have observed, the carved solid spruce top is incredibly sensitive. It amplifies every glancing touch of the strings; every nuance is captured and broadcast. And there are no dead spots and no discernible wolf tones. I’m not sure you could make a better top via tap-tuning.

Some have mentioned feedback being an issue. I had mine up at “jazz combo with drums” volume, thru a Marshall amp (set for clean tone) and it was clearly audible with no feedback. I can see where it might be an issue on a larger stage, but in an average jazz club feedback problems would be unlikely IMO. And the current stock pickup is more than good enough for me.

**Perhaps that’s due in part to the solid carved mahogany back and solid mahogany sides?

[st.bede]

Awesome.. Enjoy. (To my limited knowledge, Eastman typically has really good PUs. I think they use Lollar often in their archtops). I am surprisingly happy with my Eastman.

[tbeltrans]

Awesome.. Enjoy. (To my limited knowledge, Eastman typically has really good PUs. I think they use Lollar often in their archtops). I am surprisingly happy with my Eastman.

My FV-880 (with a bunch of letters after it) uses a Lollar Johnny Smith floating pickup. It is a VERY nice instrument, especially after having a set up done that resulted in the action being set "freakishly low" without buzzing.

I was planning to sell it because I hardly played it for some time. I bought it brand new at the height of the COVID panic, but then got my Gibson Citation and the FV-880 languished in its case. I had decided to sell it, but had the bright idea to get it set up at my favorite shop for that work (St. Paul Guitar Repair) and now I play it often and no plans to sell it. Acoustically, I much prefer the mellower and fatter sound of the Citation to the brighter, possibly thinner sound of the FV-880, but plugged in, anything can sound good depending on the pickup, and both the Citation and Eastman sound quite good.

Tony

[ccroft]

Words are funny when it comes to sound description. I've had my Pisano 880 for about 7 or 8 years. A few years ago ago I got an archtop with a thicker top and a more 'Gibson' sound. To me it sounded 'bigger'. I think what I mean by that is the fundamental tone is stronger: it has a stronger 'singing' voice for single notes.

I've been married for 45 years. My wife has heard me play a lot of different musics on many different guitars. I played these two unplugged for her and asked which she liked better. She liked the Eastman. I asked what's the difference. To my surprise she said "It sounds bigger." We discussed it. To her it was 'bigger' because it has more overtones going on. An expanded range if you will. Bigger in a different way.

It's been said a lot (maybe even earlier in this thread), but one man's 'thin and nasally' is another man's 'articulate and acousticy'. And one man's 'thick and woody' is another man's 'muddy and dull'.

These days I enjoy both sounds and I'm happy to have access to each.

[Room135]

I found a new Jazz box with P90 PU
Mine here !

[coyote-1]

Words are funny when it comes to sound description. I've had my Pisano 880 for about 7 or 8 years. A few years ago ago I got an archtop with a thicker top and a more 'Gibson' sound. To me it sounded 'bigger'. I think what I mean by that is the fundamental tone is stronger: it has a stronger 'singing' voice for single notes.

I've been married for 45 years. My wife has heard me play a lot of different musics on many different guitars. I played these two unplugged for her and asked which she liked better. She liked the Eastman. I asked what's the difference. To my surprise she said "It sounds bigger." We discussed it. To her it was 'bigger' because it has more overtones going on. An expanded range if you will. Bigger in a different way.

It's been said a lot (maybe even earlier in this thread), but one man's 'thin and nasally' is another man's 'articulate and acousticy'. And one man's 'thick and woody' is another man's 'muddy and dull'.

These days I enjoy both sounds and I'm happy to have access to each.

There’s a guitar sales pitch for ya: “Sounds thick and nasally, like your Uncle Ralph with a head cold”